Beauty | Fashion Pulse Daily - Part 54

Beauty

December 16, 2014

The Scent List: Fragrance Gift-Giving for 2014

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fragrances 2014
Lanvin Eclat d_Arpege

[Lanvin Eclat d'Arpege includes notes of lilac green, Sicilian lemon leaves, wisteria and peach flowers, white cedar of Lebanon, sweet musks and precious amber. Priced from $77, Nordstrom.com]

fan di fendi blossom

[FENDI's Fan di FENDI Blossom fragrance is one of my favorites, with notes of ink Peppercorns, Nashi Raspberry Accord,Jasmine Absolute, Magnolia, Vanilla Accord, White Musk. From $71, Macys.com]

Gucci guilty

[Gucci Guilty makes a bold statement, categorized as an oriental floral with notes of mandarin, pepper, geranium, lilac, peach, patchouli, and amber. Priced from $50, Nordstrom.com]

narciso rodriguez for her

[Narciso Rodriguez for her is one of those amazing scents that always smell incredible. With notes of musk, iris powder, and rose petals, it's a super safe bet if you're not sure what kind of fragrance she likes. From $95, Sephora.com]

Jimmy Choo STARS

[Jimmy Choo STARS is a glamorous, limited edition fragrance including notes of candied orange, tiger orchid, caramel, toffee, patchouli, sandalwood. Priced at $98, Nordstrom.com]

le couvent des minimes cologne

[Le Couvent des Minimes' Cologne of the Minimes offers several scents in light, mainly unisex cologne options that range in scent from citrus, floral, musks, and more, they are sophisticated and simple in their formulations and packaging. From $38, Ulta.com]

prada candy florale

[The new Prada Candy Florale is effervescent and fun-loving, perfect for the young at heart on your list with notes of sparkling cedrat, bouquet of cosmos, benzoin, caramel, and white musk. From $54, Sephora.com]

euphoria - Calvin Klein

[Calvin Klein Euphoria is another oldy but goody, with notes of pomegranate, persimmon, black orchid, lotus blossom, mahogany wood, and more. From $68, Sephora.com]

VCA Collection Extraordinaire California Reverie

[The luxurious Van Cleef & Arpels California Rêverie as part of the Collection Extraordinaire, based laregely around the note of jasmine paired with mandarin orange, neroli oil, and frangipani flower. Priced at $185, NeimanMarcus.com]

Giorgio Armani Si

[Giorgio Armani Si is relatively new, a sophisticated floral with notes of cassis, Freesia, May rose, vanilla, and patchouli. From $70, Macys.com]

By Friday, most stores will cease offering shipping guarantees by Christmas, but you’ll never need to worry about waiting on a somewhat last minute gift when it comes to fragrance! Most of my top selections for the 2014 holiday season are available at several retailers nationwide, and some have up to four sizing options so that every budget can be met. I’ve included some great new scents alongside some old standbys via the slide show above that she will be certain to love!

Also keep in mind that the roller balls are super affordable and a great way to sample a scent and carry it with you (Sephora has a lot of roller ball options), and auxiliary products, such as shower gels, deodorants, hair spritzes, and creams lock in the scent for extra staying power. What that means is that when you see a fragrance gift set at a great price, go for it! My last tip of fragrance advice is to keep your eyes peeled for it, no matter where you are; I’ve found that T.J.Maxx has an excellent selection of name-brand, designer fragrances in stock.

 

December 9, 2014

Beauty Tuesday: A Visit to Paintbox, the Most Buzzed About Nail Salon in NYC

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paint box limited edition winter 2014 collection

[Two limited Edition Holiday 2014 Looks; images courtesy of Paintbox]

By mid-November, it had come to pass that there wasn’t a work-related fashion or beauty event that I had attended in which Paintbox didn’t come up. “Is your manicure from Paintbox? OMG- LOVE!” seemed to be a prevalent phrase, and even at the beginning of my first appointment at the salon, I understand why Paintbox has stood out from the rest, particularly when it’s under a year in existence.

For starters, the vibe and decor in the ultra hip Soho location is completely different than any other nail place I’ve patronized. It possesses a well-designed, austere yet inviting home, rather than a nail salon, and it’s obvious that everything has been carefully considered, from the bookshelf holding the nail looks of the season to the lamps, banquettes, and natural light streaming into the space that comprises an intimate and warm feeling.

paint box soho
[Where the magic (manicure) happens at Paintbox]

The reason why someone would frequent Paintbox, however, is for the manicures and more specifically, nail art. Paintbox is manicures, only, and although you could go for a straightforward gel or polish mani, I can promise you that it will be hard to resist the menu, chock-full of on-trend designs. You can also mix two, which I did on my first visit, with the chance to have your freshly minted nails documented via a “mani cam” photo to share via email or on social media.

My mani itself was exquisite, in that my manicurist, Yuko, took her time to make sure my hands, nails, and cuticles were in tip top shape before proceeding with the polish. She patiently applied the polish hues and foil accents to my digits with the utmost care and interest, resulting in a stunning look that is sure to be a conversation starter.

If you also find yourself yearning to try Paintbox, see the site for a price list, and you can easily book a manicure online or gift one to a friend!

Full Disclosure: I received my manicure courtesy of Paintbox.

December 5, 2014

Fashion Pulse Flash: The Color of the Year, Great Gifts, more!

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Most things may be starting the descent into full hibernation mode, but today, fashion and beauty is in full bloom. I’ve got some great products and news to share today from a variety of brands and categories. I hope you enjoy the latest installation of the Fashion Pulse Flash this week, and please take a moment to enter the Tourneau Watch Giveaway, with a chance to win the same watch that I’m wearing, retailing for $760!
Pantone marsala color of the year

[Image via Pantone]

Want to talk about marsala? Pantone declared this ruddy, reddish-brown as the shade of the year for 2015, and it’s all abuzz this week. It does have great unisex appeal, and easily transitions to beauty looks and home decor, which I certainly do appreciate about it. It also feels festive and modern at once; what do you think? Do you already own any items that are of the “marsala” hue?

myhabit holiday gifts #MHGiveJoy

Wednesday night I fully immersed myself into the holiday spirit with MyHabit, sipping on spiked cider and hot chocolate looking onto the idyllic NYC landscape from under a heated lamp, positioned strategically next to The Standard Hotel’s temporary ice skating rink.

A bit about MyHabit — if you’ve never shopped the site, here’s what you need to know: it was created by Amazon.com to live within the private sale site atmosphere, but be set apart by its unique mix of designer, boutique and luxury offerings that encompass fashion and lifestyle, ranging from items for him, her, the littles, and the home. If you’ve run fresh out of gift ideas this holiday season, check out the “Give Joy” section, which has everything from stocking stuffers for under $19 to kids clothes for under $10!

clinique happy hearts collection
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December 2, 2014

Find the Perfect Hue for Your Skin Tone with ALMAY’s Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick

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almay smart shade lipstick

It’s not the world’s largest inconvenience by far, however with the only way to find the lipstick shade that looks best on you  is via trial and error, it can certainly be time-consuming and costly. Now ALMAY has (thankfully) taken all of the guesswork out of finding your ideal shade starting this month, with the launch of its Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick Collection. It’s pretty fool-proof actually; all you have to do is determine if your skin tone fits under light, light/medium, or medium, then decide if you want a berry, pink, nude, or red shade (or all four!).

The launch includes 12 total shades across each skin tone match, and will easily guide you to the right one with a label found on the bottom indicating the shade name and skin tone match, i.e. “berry-light.”  The new lineup is also packed with hydrating ingredients, is hypoallergenic, super easy to use and find, and quite affordable. Each lipstick retails for $6.99 each, and can be found at drug and mass retailers nationwide as well as at ALMAY.com

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